Binder



y 1967 J. L. DRYSDALE 3,322,129

BINDER Filed Sept. 30, 1965 1O FIG.2

FIG.3

INVENTOR. JAM ES L. DRYSDALE FIG.4

United States Patent 3,322,129 BINDER James L. Drysdale, Montreal West, Quebec, 'Canada, as-

signor to The Bell Telephone Company of Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed Sept. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 491,766 3 Claims. (Cl. 129-38) This invention relates to a binder of the type which releasably holds books of various sizes and thicknesses such as telephone directories and allows for removal, replacement, or addition of one or more volumes from time to time.

Binders for periodicals, telephone directories and similar books are well known and in common use. This type of binder usually consists of a back plate or spine with a pair of covers hinged to its lateral edges. The back plate carries one or more rods extending the length of the plate, parallel to one face of the plate but spaced from it. These rods are adapted to be passed between the pages of a book and anchored to the back plate of the binder, holding the back of the book flush against the back plate and inhibiting its removal. One or more books may be held in this manner by the binder.

Such binders lack flexibility in use since the retaining rods assume fixed positions with respect to the back plate of the binder and cannot easily be adjusted to accommodate a variety of books having difierent thicknesses. When it is desired to remove volumes from the binder and replace them with a difierent number of volumes or with volumes of a different thickness the rods must be removed completely from the binder and repositioned to lie centrally within each given volume of the new grouping. For books or directories used in public places it is ncessary to lock the rods to the back plate of the binder and this complicates the procedure which must be followed each time a book or directory is to be inserted, removed, or replaced.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a binder, of the type described, in which a minimum manipulation of the retaining elements is required to remove books and insert others which may be of difiering sizes or thicknesses.

It is another object of the invention to provide a binder, of the type described, in which a number of rods extend the length of the back plate of the binder, each rod being movable laterally to any one of a series of set positions without completely detaching the rod from the plate.

In its broadest aspect the invention resides in a binder for releasably holding books, directories and the like comprising a supporting plate, a pin mounted on the plate parallel thereto, at least one rod having one end pivoted on the pin and laterally slidable axially thereon,

a locating member spaced from the pin parallel thereto l and adapted to receive and laterally restrain the rod in any one of a series of stations when the rod is positioned parallel to the plate, and means releasably to secure the other end of the rod when received in the locating member. In a preferred embodiment the locating member is a flange upstanding from the plate and having a crenelated edge with which the rod may register.

The supporting plate may carry on its upper surface two transverse rows of studs adapted to engage with aligned rows of holes in a pair of hinged covers co-operating with the supporting plate to provide a hard cover binder book.

An example embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a binder according to the invention;

3,322,129 Patented May 30, 1967 "ice FIGURE 2 is a view in cross-section taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1, showing the position of a book held by the binder;

FIGURE 3 is a view in cross-section taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing two volumes held in the binder with the covers of the binder laterally adjusted to accommodate them.

The embodiment shown in the drawings consists of a supporting plate or spine 10 of elongated rectangular rigid sheet material, preferably metal such as sheet steel. The lateral edges of plate 10 are folded to form a pair of stiffening ribs 11 extending substantially the entire length of the plate. One end of plate 10 is angled and its free end looped to form a transverse hinge 12 spaced from the plane of the plate and parallel to it.

At the extremities of plate 10 on surface 13 facing away from hinge 12 there are located two transverse U-shaped brackets 14 fixed to plate 10 by rivets 15. Each bracket 14 consists of a pair of upright arms 16 and a base connecting member 17. The lateral inwardly facing edge of each base member 17 is angled to provide a locating member in the form of an upstanding flange 18 having a height less than arms 16 and terminating in an edge 19 which is parallel to the plane of plate 10 and transverse to its longitudinal axis. Free edge 19 of flange 18 is crenelated to form a series of equally spaced notches or recesses 20 of rectangular shape. An angled reinforcing plate 22 located on the inner side of the elbow formed by hinge 12 is also fixed to plate 10 by rivets 15 of bracket 14 adjacent the hinge. A circular aperture 23 is located in each arm 16 of brackets 14, the two apertures in each bracket being aligned.

A pin 24 is mounted transversely in each bracket 14 through aligned apertures 23. Pins 24 consist of an internally threaded sleeve 25 capped with a head 26, and a bolt 27 having a threaded shaft 28 engaging sleeve 25. Head 29 of screw 27 carries a recess 30 adapted to be engaged by a driving tool having a specially shaped end.

A series of rods 31, one of which is shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, are disposed parallel to one another and longitudinally with respect to plate 10. Each end of rod 31 forms a loop 32 adapted to circumscribe sleeves 25 of pins 24 mounted in brackets 14.

The upper edge 19 of each crenelated flange 18 is approximately the same height from upper surface 13 of plate 10 as the axis of its adjacent pin 24. The depth of each notch 20 is such that it will accommodate rod 31 when engaged by pins 24. Pairs of notches 20 in opposed crenelated flanges 18 are aligned to receive rod 31 in any one of a series of stations spaced transversely With respect to the longitudinal axis of plate 10.

Plate 10 carries two transverse rows of retaining studs 33, one row being spaced a short distance inwardly from each bracket 14 and projecting from upper surface 13 of the plate. A pair of retaining flanges 34 are also carried by plate 10, one flange being secured by rivets 15 between the upper surface 13 of the plate and each bracket 14. Each flange 34 has a lip 35 projecting inwardly from its associated bracket, the lip being ofiset from upper surface 13 of the plate. A pair of covers 37 are adapted to be engaged by studs 33 through two parallel rows of holes 38 located in an edge flap 39 of each cover. Edge flaps 39 are hinged to main portion 40 of each cover 37 by a crease 41 in the cover parallel to an edge 42. Crease 41 delineates flap 39 as an elongated rectangular portion having a width spproximately equal to the width of plate 10 and a length slightly shorter than the distance between opposed crenelated flanges 18. Covers 37 may be composed of any stilt material, for example polyethylene. Edge flaps 39 are retained by lips 35 of flanges 34 in engagement with studs 33, the ends of the flaps being slipped between plate and the olfset lips.

Covers 37 may be fitted to supporting plate 10 by placing holes 38 over studs 33. The distance between main portions 40 of covers 37 when closed may be varied, according to the combined thicknesses of the volumes to be held by the binder, by having holes 38 engage one, two or three of studs 33 in each row. FIGURE 3 of the drawings shows each of flaps 39 fully overlaying upper surface 13 of plate 10 with holes 38 and studs 33 being all inter-engaged. The arrangement of FIGURE 3 constitutes the narrowest spacing between main portions 40 of covers 37. FIGURE 4 of the drawings shows an expanded binder with each of flaps 39 engaging, through holes 38, two studs 33 in each row of studs. FIGURE 4 represents an intermediate position in the expansion of the space between covers 37. The greatest distance between main portions 40 of covers 37 is achieved by having only one pair of holes 38 in flaps 39 engage a pair of the outer studs 33 on plate 10. In this latter position (not shown) flaps 39 would not overlap one another as in the positions shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings.

To insert a book, directory or other similar material for retention by the binder, covers 37 are located on supporting plate 10 by engaging studs 33 with holes 38 with the ends of covers engaged by lips 35 of flanges 34 as described above, the distance between the covers when closed being atleast equal to the thickness of the book to be held by the binder. Screw 27 of one of pins 24 is then removed from sleeve 25. The special tool adapted to engage depression 30 of head 29 is used for this purpose. Sleeve 25 is withdrawn through its associated aperture 23 until it clears loop 32 of rods 31 engaged by the pins whereupon each rod is pivoted upwardly away from plate 10 about the intact second pin as indicated by arrow 44 in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, clearing crenelated flange 18. The back of the book to be held in the binder is placed against the uppermost of flaps 39 in the position it will occupy when secured, and is then opened. Loop 32 of rod 31 is laterally moved axially along sleeve 25 of pin 24 to a position in line with the cleavage of the opened book, after which rod 31 is pivoted about the pin towards plate 10. As rod 31 is pivoted into a position parallel to upper surface 13 of plate 10 it registers with a pair of. aligned notches 20 in each crenelated flange 18. In this position of rod 31, sleeve 25 is passed through the other end loop 32 of the rod and screw 27 is turned to re-engage the sleeve and lock the pin in its associated bracket 14. Rod 31 lies close to the backing of the retained book, making it impossible'to remove the book without again disengaging rod 31 from one of pins 24.

In FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings a single thick book 45 is shown held in the binders by a pair of rods 31. FIGURE 4 of the drawings illustrates how single book 45 may be replaced by two books 46 and 47 of a greater combined thickness. Each of the two rods 31 is used to hold one of the books and the distance between covers 37 is expanded to accommodate the combined thickness of the books. Of course a number of rods 31 up to the number of notches 20 in one crenelated flange 18 may be engaged by pins 24 and manipulated in the same manner as outlined above. Hinge 12 on plate 10 is adapted toengage a pin (not shown) mounted on a supporting structure so that the binder may hang vertical-' ly and be pivoted into a horizontal position for use, in the manner commonly seen in public telephone booths.

It will be seen that great flexibility is obtained in the number and size of books which can be held by the binder of the present invention, coupled with a simplification of the steps required to bind and change volumes. To insert or remove a book it is necessary to disengage only one end of each retaining rod 31. Being symmetrical about a transverse centre line, either end of each rod may be dising tool will sufiice either to rearrange the volumes by disengaging one end of rods 31 or to alter the number of rods by disengaging both ends. To prevent tampering by the public, bolt head 29 and the driving tool may be specially designed.

It will be appreciated that each rod 31 may be bent at a shallow angle adjacent each of its ends to decrease the space between plate 10 and the rod located parallel to the plate. This configuration of rods 31 would cause the books held in the binder to bear more firmly against flaps 39 on supporting plate 10.

I claim:

1. A binder for releasably holding books, directories and the like comprising a supporting plate, a pair of parallel pins mounted remote one from another on the plate, said pins being spaced from one face of the plate and parallel thereto, a pair of locating members mounted on the plate, said members being positioned remote one from another and between the pins, each of the members having a crenelated free edge lying adjacent one of the pins and parallel thereto, at least one retaining rod looped at each end thereof slidably to engage said pins and when so engaged to register with said locating members, at least one of said pins being adapted to release that end of said rod engaged therewith whereby the rod may be pivoted about the other of said pins away from the plate and the locating members, a plurality of studs positioned on said one face of the supporting plate in,

at least two parallel rows transverse to said rod, and a pair of covers, each cover having a hinged edge flap carrying rows of apertures corresponding to said rows of studs and adapted to be engaged by the studs whereby the covers are secured to the supporting plate when a book is held in the binder.

2. A binder for releasably holding books, directories and the like comprising an elongated rectangular supporting plate, a pair of U-shaped brackets fixed to one face of the plate one at each end thereof and having arms upstanding therefrom, a pair of axially aligned apertures located in the arms of each of the brackets, a pin slidably mounted on each of the brackets in said apertures, said pins being positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the plate and parallel thereto, a pair of locating members comprising upstanding flanges securedto respective ones of said brackets and positioned adjacent each of said pins, each of the upstanding flanges having a free edge lying substantially in the common axial plane of the pins, and at least one retaining rod looped at each end to engage slidably with said pins, said free edges of the upstanding means being crenelated to receive the rod when engaged with the pins, at least one of the pins being re-' movable from its supporting bracket whereby the rod may be pivoted about the other of said pins in a direction away from the supporting plate and the' upstanding flanges.

3. A binder as claimed in claim 2 in which at least said removable pin comprises a sleeve and a threaded bolt, the sleeve being threaded internally to receive the bolt, the sleeve and the bolt each carrying a head adapted to engage the bracket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

2. A BINDER FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING BOOKS, DIRECTORIES AND THE LIKE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED RECTANGULAR SUPPORTING PLATE, A PAIR OF U-SHAPED BRACKETS FIXED TO ONE FACE OF THE PLATE ONE AT EACH END THEREOF AND HAVING ARMS UPSTANDING THEREFROM, A PAIR OF AXIALLY ALIGNED APERTURES LOCATED IN THE ARMS OF EACH OF THE BRACKETS, A PIN SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON EACH OF THE BRACKETS IN SAID APERTURES, SAID PINS BEING POSITIONED TRANSVERSE TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE PLATE AND PARALLEL THERETO, A PAIR OF LOCATING MEMBERS COMPRISING UPSTANDING FLANGES SECURED TO RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID BRACKETS AND POSITIONED ADJACENT EACH OF SAID PINS, EACH OF THE UPSTANDING FLANGES HAVING A FREE EDGE LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE COMMON AXIAL PLANE OF THE PINS, AND AT LEAST ONE RETAINING ROD LOOPED AT EACH END TO ENGAGE SLIDABLY WITH SAID PINS, SAID FREE EDGES OF THE UPSTANDING MEANS BEING CRENELATED TO RECEIVE THE ROD WHEN ENGAGED WITH THE PINS, AT LEAST ONE OF THE PINS BEING REMOVABLE FROM ITS SUPPORTING BRACKET WHEREBY THE ROD MAY BE PIVOTED ABOUT THE OTHER OF SAID PINS IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE SUPPORTING PLATE AND THE UPSTANDING FLANGES. 